223 Responses to SOME ASSETS DEPLOYED BY THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE FOR COMBAT OPERATIONS IN THE NORTHEAST

The academic curriculum of the final year students must be changed to include ENHANCED communication language/skills between the NAF (ISR) , the Nigerian Army (Artillery) and the Nigerian Army ( infantry)

That is a specialist level skill but one officers should have, NA must already have some combined arms training. Some militaries embeds airforce and arty units along side front line forces. This must already exist some what.

A more fundamental issue is encrypted comms dedicated to the military, how will the front line soldier talk to the rear arty unit or to air support to give grid co-ords if dedicated comms are not available at the squad level.

sometimes I sit down and wonder how our story will be told 10 yrs from now.so much in our archives nd more needed..

oga jimmy I agree with u.our advancement should also be geared at reducing low sighted targeting and friendly fire.from artillery et al.ISR plus Intel signals on the top rug of the ladder.
however I would like to know from my ogas in the house if simple comms techniques like Morse code are taught to army nd airforce cadets cos I know that it is a standard course for the navy..curriculum.

and also I think it is time we begin to make basic inroads into electronic warfare at least on a basic level…

and to my ogas in the house I would love someone to educate me.
I have been doin a personal research on “unequal combat..using the incapable to defeat the capable”
it simply boils down to capable defensive mechanisms that can be utilized in combat against a more formidable foe..
I would like to know if a kornet ATGM or a javelin ATGM can be knocked off target by a flare if fire at a target

The typical new generation active protection system deployed in tanks shoots down incoming missiles and other ballistics by showering a calculated zone in the incoming trajectory with bullets , sharpnel and ball bearings. It is all about speed of computation and some probability theory.

@buchi
the question does not even arise
because the modern advance anti tank missiles uses IIR imaging Infra Red system
and the focal plane array FCA used in these IIR are totally immune to stray sources of heat eg like a flare
IIR seekers no longer just see a hot blob of heat, but a full picture of the target. Even from a distance, the flare’s rapid change in direction is easily ignored by the IIR missile seeker as being a decoy.In order to “white out” the view, the flare would have to physically occupy a large portion of the FOV of the IIR seeker which is not possible with a flare fired from a gun.
also IIR seekers are programmed for pattern recognition.
also depends on the flares being used eg Magnesium flares(shorter wavelength) can’t decoy javelin IIR seeker (which works in long range wavelength), because they work in different wavelengths.

Insurgencies and hackers are a good place to start studying other forms of unequal combat. The objective when faced with Superior/Advanced forces is not to decimate the enemy, the objective should be to demoralize the enemy and defeat it.

Hence if you have an enemy armed with ATGM’s and you have no APS, you ambush the enemy with dismounts. If your enemy has air power, you hug his front line to increase blue on blue incidents on his side.If your enemy can hack your comms you send out dummy comms or change call signs and use couriers to transport key information.

Swarming is a favorite habit of hackers also, see DOS attacks, can also be used by insurgencies, see operation millennium challenge (which combines swarming with old tech and maneuver warfare).

If all else fails, resort to Fabian warfare (Guerrilla tactics) See total resistance by the swiss or the works of Mao/Soviet Russia on partisan warfare. Combine this with hit and run decentralized command and control to stretch the opponent and expose weaknesses.

Unequal Combat is more a philosophy than one tool vs the next, the philosophy can then lead to tools being used that defeat a more formidable foe. There is a lot of material in this, please continue sharing as you learn and I will post if I find any examples of good tool usage.

thank you oga roscoe for u kind assessment nd oga lachit for u capable analysis of the dynamics of modern atgm…however I went to ur writeup intensely and did a little research nd with a little imagination.
I can tell u that in as much as iiR FOV of an atgm has pattern recognistion.and full target acquisition.
nitrogen flares burn longer in air and produce more heat signature than magnesium flare.problem is the safety of the deployment protocol.hence if in unequal situations we seek to keep our low no of tanks in action.a deployment module for telflow/viton flares….however there is a defect inherent in IIR.I believe .AS ALways an increased heat signature is a magnet to infra red.mask.it with smoke nd what happens.
our engineers should begin to think of innovative ECMS for our t-72 nd incoming t-90s with advanced atgm systems principles in.mind.a ..survivability is a must for a country with limited capabilities in unequal combat

Like play like play we have become the most experienced users of F7M Airguard, Alpha Jets and ATR 42. That knowledge goes into what is called Strategic National Knowledge Asset Pool. You enhance that by updating manuals, doing after action reviews, training seminars and letting the NAF Air Warfare Centre coordinate everything into tactics and operation standards.

We have really formed a habit of celebrating mediocrity in the defsec of our dear country, we have a present system be devilled by red tapism, corruption, snail syndrome, inability to master requisite technology ( there are Dozens of Southies here maintaining specialized trucks and helix!) and shot sightedness (the truth- yes is better!). We hardly see beyond our nose and immediate ambition

We should stop have mediocre plans like buying non spectacular weapons through corrupt politicians and training people to maintain them. We need to start having integrated DESEC plans that will involve the Private Sector, Military and Academia that will suffice to secure our existence 20 years to come.

We need to think big and 20 years ahead. Instead of buying dozens of second hand APCs- how hard and long will it be to get a local company to design and assembly APCs? 30 years ago we were buying new APCs and top range jets, now we are buying Tokunbo of everything that is worthless except to pound rag tag book haram- Countries with Similar prowess by then have moderately sized local defense industry (Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Egypy……) that was our class then. We need to stamp out corruption and leverage on our economic strength to acquire technology not just weapons-

We must secure the coming generation with local capacity and provide jobs! South Africa is looking for partners to Revive Rooivak production,KC-130 medium lift Aircraft of Brazil is jointly owned by 6 countries, US is offering Scorpion jet to India on co –production basis, UAE is developing cruise missiles for Pakistan with South African help, China is seriously seeking for buyer for its Yuan Class submarine………Precision strike was our initial greatest challenge in the present conflict-what are we doing to be self reliant in this wise in the next 5 years? US won’t allow Israel to sell us 30 year old cobras- what is our plans never to get stranded should Russia decide against selling munitions to us? The fears and opportunities are endless. If we have truly expended over $3b to procure arms in 24-36 months with less than 3% produced locally and hence not really under our total control ,then it is a big shame- you spend so much to buy, you spend so much to equip, much more to train and maintain-all going into another man economy-somebody said we shipped in 120 MRAPS directly from Chinese factory, all 100% built-An African record of the decade! In 36 months we shall be asking Chinese “experts” to come do overhauls!

We need transparence- all tenders should be openly floated like South Africa, Egypt……We must buy with technology transfer and local involvement on our mind! International companies must have local partners, technology transfer and Local assembly must be inclusive in Major deals. Private sector investment must be stimulated-If Dangote can put $11b in refinery- there are people who can fund local production of helix and Ship building for a profit! We need to privatize DICON and have somebody poor in $300m to build and heavy military industry; If Sudan and Ethiopia can do it then it’s doable! We need to float international tender for a dozen OPVs over 4 years….We need a missile technology that is our( we have acquired all technologies related to its production and maintenance-like the Iranian did to Chinese C802), We need NDA to embrace cross school research and tap into the knowledge base of over 1000 PHDs outside its employment like they do in every other country. We must step up to the big league! I dare say that, I do not believe our future is militarily secure from all existing threats (potential lousy neighbor, extremist and bullying world powers). This System is improper- we need an overhaul, a change, something better! I am sick and tired of celebrating second hand Alpha jets and Mi 24s

Okay. So dtop clapping and start blasting.
People currently resourced in top political leadership now dont see Nigeria as a great country. They can mouth the words but dont believe in their hearts. The 70s/80s bunch were different; they bought Jarguars and Aradu, they liberated zimbabwe, they supported ANC and they nationalized BP. They were also going to build atomic bombs. Now you have the fourth eleven in office.
The conversation I had with a fellow Nigerian on a Frankfurt to Atlanta flight speaks volumes. “You wont believe how much people holding strategic offices.dont know” that was what he said just about his experience trying to interest state govts in low cost housing using some proprietary building material.

That’s what Greed, Lack of Vision , and corruption often cause.
We are a country that cut ribbon because some governor construct a new tiny road, to us that’s a massive achievement, sad.
Nigeria need leaders with vision, and you are right on point, its ridiculous at best.

Oga Patapata Solorex, God almighty Bless you for saying the hard Truth, Some people do not see this medium as an avenue to try to induce the wind of change and get the real message across. So of this comments are quite funny, Some here love Nigeria so much that they are prepared to provide constructive criticism in order to make positive changes, other praise every the same Country to ridicule.

it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that it be required as mandatory, the current crop of JUNIOR/ mid level officers Captain to Colonel be mandated to spend a certain portion of their time not gathering educational degrees but as part of passing on to the next generation of Second LT in both the Army and Air force sharing their experience as to what works and what does not work in the coin battle field.
@OGA Buchi The army has upgraded to at least two solid line of communication, to prevent blue on blue incidents especially with regards to Artillery, However in COIN OPERATIONS /asymmetric warfare it is still very difficult to prevent, Last week there was a blue on blue incident involving the Saudis on the ground and their air force. With regards to the Arty boys it is very doubtful their true role will ever be known in this war most of these guys do not sleep at night, are the first to signal an offensive, some of them have been in the NE for well over a year without rotation and they continue to do their job.
OGA Henry the AIR FORCE must as a matter of National Interests inform the incoming President that despite the economy it is important that they need to get at least 4 more upgraded ATR -42s it is very important that he is flown in one and shown what it is capable of doing.When I say we have to be pragmatic with our relationship with the rest especially America this being one of the reasons, This war has proven beyond a shred of doubt the importance of ISR at NIGHT IN WINNING coin ops.The recent ships we purchased from China had their MAIN ENGINES manufactured in Germany who as the story goes was doing their dirty work for the Americans spying on everybody.
Nigeria is the only country in AFRICA PERIOD that has battle hardened/ tested troops who know how to fight and defeat an enemy at night as a result it must be mandatory that Night fighting as compulsory training for new recruits.They are already in demand we need to keep our boys .

Very valid point. Somebody talked about functional literacy on this forum. The Nigeria Army was for three decades more interested in training people to be state governors than experts in warfare. What kind of mentality is that?. The people Buhari is bringing dont inspire confidence as well, the few names cropping up sound like the same old tired people. Maybe someone should send Navy Admirals to head the NA for one year. The NA does not even have a list of capability areas they should concentrate in for the war of the next five decades. Thst is why we will probably continue to pay top dollars to skilled P MC operatives including from a country whose citizens are currently attacking Nigerians. SMH

“The Nigeria Army was for three decades more interested in training people to be state governors than experts in warfare.” “Maybe someone should send Navy Admirals to head the NA for one year. The NA does not even have a list of capability areas they should concentrate in for the war of the next five decades.” Your statement smirks of gross ignorance. What is the source of the information you are using to judge the army so harshly? Have you seen the army future plans? Have you attended any of the briefings conducted by the army hierarchy to the Presidency? Please don’t make unsubstantiated statements that are outrightly false.

Proven. Admitted to by non other than the NA itself, retired Generals (please read their interviews). I am surprised these facts are being challenged. You need to give me good grounds for challenging them. I won’t let you go off easy on this. Trace the history of the army and its political incursions and how that has shaped promotions and training and tell me I am wrong.

…and what are the NA’s future plans?. T-72 tanks and MRAPS?. The only corps that is worth commending is Artillery. The SFs only started making their presence felt. For six years everybody at Army HQ pretended there was nothing like Sambisa. What is the total inventory of our Armour assets?, why has NA Aviation not taken off?, why could we for months could not ensure seamless comms with other arms. We have knocked the NAF a lot but everyone knows the NA itself is a basket case.

You speak based on what you see from the outside. As an insider I tell you that you are mistaken. There is a difference between knowing what is required and having the resource to execute. Does that NA control what is allocated to it? NO. If the NA makes all the grand plans and present to the politicians who should resource those plans to fruition and they refuse, what could the NA do? Nothing basically. Those plans gather dust at the AHQ. PERIOD. Remember, we have some of the best trained officers anywhere. As we speak, apart from NDC and NIPPS, we send over 15 senior Colonels to the top War Colleges of the world to prepare them for senior leadership. That has been the pattern for decades. Do you these leaders do not know what to do? Or how to plan for the future? My brother, the problem with Nigeria is not that we cannot plan, it is usually the inability to translate those lofty plans into reality. Recall last year, after the armed forces presented the defense requirement what happed when the national budget was passed? Nothing in their presentation was resourced. Recall also that all the service chiefs had to visit the Minister of Finance to protest before the $1bn loan was assessed by the FGN.

In summary, military plans are just what they are “PLAN ON PAPER” until you resource them. Unfortunately, it is the politicians who can do this and they usually have other priorities as they do not understand what national security is all about. Methinks if some of you on this blog go into politics, find yourself in the National Assembly, maybe we may just find a lasting solution to this problem. Cheers

@jimmy
i am sure the 2 solid line of communication has to be connected some how to the FORWARD OBSERVER (FO) and his firing artillery unit with both of them communicating with each other over secure frequency agile/hopping radios.
the radios must be of the following types
1. secured multi-band frequency-hopping hand-held radio that operates at frequencies from 30 to 512 MHz
2. network radio that integrates voice communications with a C4I application computing unit which operates at around 410 to 450 MHz.

as u hintted i think all this must be part of a nascent but on going C4I system which provides command and control for infantry forces, and interfaces to armored units, artillery, and close air support units. with each feeding one another with info to generate situational awareness and better target handling capability.
also new multi purpose sighting systems equipped with laser range finder thermal cameras GPS etc for the FORWARD OBSERVER (FO) must have been included.

surely Nigerian Army System Development Centre [NASDC],
56 Signals Command [56 SC] and Division Signals [DS] are involved.
@jimmy
am i right

for the layman
Because artillery is an indirect fire weapon, A FORWARD OBSERVER (FO) is employed. He must take up a position where he can observe the target using binoculars and laser rangefinders etc and call back fire missions on his radio.
The FORWARD OBSERVER (FO) sends map references and bearing to target, a brief target description, a recommended munitions to use, and any special instructions such as “danger close” (the warning that friendly troops are within 600 meters of the target when using artillery, requiring extra precision from the guns).
The FO and the battery basically “walk” the fire onto the target. The FDC (FIRE DIRECTION CONTROL) calculates the CFF (CALL FOR FIRE) and send a deflection and elevation to the gun line. The gun line cranks the specified elevation and deflection on the howitzers and gets ready to fire.
Also when the guns have fired the FDC signals the FO and the FO observes the fall of shell. He then signals corrections. These are normally of the form of left/right of the bearing line and distance along it, for example “right 50 add 100” (distance in meters). When the fire is good enough the FO signals “TARGET ON, FIRE FOR EFFECT”. If the mission requires a walking barrage he may continue sending correction orders.

First let me state for integrity purposes I am not in the military. Second @ Lacit Oga Buchi asked a sensitive question and based on my sources I answered the question without compromising such information Third in answer to your question the communication between the branches you mentioned has improved compared to 2013/2014 that the scenario you have painted is what is probably occurring in 2015.

Yeah Oga Are james, it is said that nigerians are very well educated people, but are functionally illiterate.

We need to learn the art of making and creating things like the chinese and indians are doing.
All the college degrees in the world, wouldn’t teach us that.

Manufacturing comes from planning and investment.

I hail from nnewi anambra state aka ojukwu country.

I grew up watching car and motorcycle parts merchants, now dare to venture into parts manufacturing, and assembly of entire vehicles.

We all know about innoson motor company , the ibeto group, coscharis etc etc. But this is an old phenomenon, that dates back to the 80s.

These folks so patronized asian manufacturers, that the manufacturers suggested technology transfers, and indigenous parts manufacturing as a way to cement this huge but unsolicited business ties.
Anyway, successive nigerian govts have never seen fit to support this rare case of indigenous industrial scale manufacturing.

Power ? No. Roads ? No.

GEJ. Visited few times, and vowed that all his campaign cars will be locally made.
But during his tenure, NA and NPF went hilux and toyota ranger crazy, but almost none of these vehices in their thousands, came from innoson motors.

As though toyota needs our business.

In the same vein, folks need armoured vehicles, but don’t see the wisdom of patronizing PROFORCE.

If we continue to produce leaders that cant find synergy in proforce, dicon and the likes of innoson and Ibeto groups, nigeria will continue to mark time.

And our industrialization will continue to be bedevilled by a “failure to launch”

Pilots in fast jets getting bullet wounds and flying, speaks volumes of the way things have gone south and the fact that it is even seen as a hype thing, We praised well used 2 ex Luftwaffe Alpha jets , de-commission to civil platforms, then resold to Nigeria. Who ever came about this ridiculous venture. Even Malabo is wiser to operate SU25 a dedicated mud shifter. We are now back to Red Baron times. I don’f just believe this..

Thanks for your comment. All over the world, the military does not come out to voice what you advocate. It could be termed treason as you know. In the USA, you have a lot of retired military men in Congress that make the advocacy, influence policies and defense budgeting. There has been an average of 30 % former military personnel as members of Congress so you can imagine the support the military gets to actuality its modernization and future plans. Not so in our case. Hence, defense enthusiasts like you guys on this blog as well as more retired personnel of the armed forces should consider going into politics and the National Assembly specifically. That’s the only way we can achieve the lofty dreams being advocated on this blog. We in the military know exactly where we would like to be but we do not have the support or resource to actualize it unfortunately because the political class we have today really either don’t give a damn, or are just not interested in the nations security. If not for the classified nature, I pull have given you details of a 5 year modernization plan the NA presented to the presidency in 2013 that was never reflected in any budget till date. So what can soldiers do? Execute the plans with their salaries?

@all
in the first photo ie the F-7Ni AirGuard photo
just above the engine exhaust which is covered by a red cover, on the bottom portion of the tail fin u can see a circular cone shaped projection comming out ( also the colour of the circular cone shaped projection is darker than the rest of the airframe).

@mayorrules
good try but incorrect
plz try another answer.think logically i am sure u will get the correct answer.

for ur information
flares are never launched from above the engine exhaust.
because if supposing the flares are launched from above the engine exhaust,the ejected flares will remain for a time directly before the engine exhaust (which defeats the very purpose of launching the flares as it will overlap and intensify the IR signature for a brief period of time) even as the plane is manuvering/evading the infra red guided missile.
also if the pilot launches the flares a moment too late the missile hitting the one of the flares will sent a shower of sharpnel,fragmented rod etc directly towards the engine since the anti aircraft missiles contain directional warheads.
and with a damaged engine u are lost and if it is a single engined plane than nothing can save u.
flares are launched from underneath the fuselage(the rear portion of the plane)
regards

@Oga buchi, the NN did a lot of ECM training, as its two patrons of fast missile craft (Ekun, Siri, Ayam, Ekpe, Damisa and Agu–Tiger and La Combattante classes) all have ECM capability. These same ships are in the class of the Libyan versions sunk by the Sixth Fleet of the US Navy when Colonel Gadhaffi was trying to enforce the Law of the Sea in the Gilf of Sirte in 1989 (which then President Reagan refused to recognise). I imagine that Nigeria learnt a lot from that episode as it involved extensive use of electronic measures and counter-measures by both sides. NNS Erinomi, Eyimiri and NNS Aradu also have strong ECM capabilities, so the NN is not stranger to ECM’s. It would be good to step this up today and I believe that is where your observation rings strong and relevant. Bravo Zulu sir!

Has NN ever thought of modifying the ECM capability to meet our own specs, in order to neutralize any operational advantage the original manufacturer and his allies might have ( Silver Bullet / design weak spots), so that we do not go the way of Libya ( that would be a real lesson learned), there are lots of old electronic professors in Nigeria universities, that can be asked to re-do the bought systems, how in the world do we thing we can fight anybody effectively with thing bought from a foreign shop. There seems to be a pride issue by not using the Nigerian Academics.

@Oga Wilcock, good point sir, (regarding your position on the use of Nigerian intellectuals by our military). This is the way to go, and this blog should ramp up the pressure (as it did in calling for the upgrading of the orbat of our forces which was eventually heeded).

@all
in the second picture ie the “Mi-24V/Mi-35P attack helicopters”
u can see a cylindrical dome like black structure atop the upper fuselage on the base of the tail section .
u can see it just below the rotor blades, to the upper left of the NAF roundel
can anyone identify it and what is its use???
this is a tough one.

@are james
good try.but wrong
u came close to the answer but then did a u turn.
IR warning receivers are never placed at the top and behind the rotors because their view is blocked.
cannot be a ECM pod because it is too small and mounted above the fuselage.pods are of plug in/out type easily removed or attached however in this case it is not so because the cylinder is fixed and inaccesible without proper equipments.
try again
on the 2nd attemp u should answer coorrectly because u came close to the answer.
and why is it necessary?

@Kola Adekola
“That position is where the exhaust and hottest parts are.”
this one is good logical thinking.nice
“it is for infrared suppression of the heat signature of the helicopter engine (against infrared missile tracking).”
this one is incorrect.

u got to think from another angle just keep u r, this statement in mind “That position is where the exhaust and hottest parts are.”

Hmm! Oga lachit, could it be for mixing ambient air with the hot exhaust then? Maybe “infrared missile tracking” was too narrow, but cooling the exhaust gases will reduce the infrared signature and reduce detection by things like FLIR.

@Kola Adekola
it is a Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) from either RUSSIA or UKRAINE.
RUSSIA : it is either the L-166V-11E Jspanka microwave pulse lamp ‘Hot Brick’ or the more modern L166V1A version developed and produced by ZOMZ (Sergiyev-Posady, Russia).
UKRAINE :it is the Adros KT-01AV. It has a similar appearance to the L166V family and it fits into the same base as L166V1A and use much of its wiring.

The term DIRCM is used as a generic term used to describe any infrared countermeasure system that tracks and confuses the missile guidance system by directing energy toward the threat ie by pulsing flashes of IR energy.

Are james, did i hear you say an admiral heading the NA? I agree that things havent happened the way it should in the NA but it doesnt mean our Generals dont know what to do or are hopeless about turning the situation around. We talk about them going for civilian courses to acquire degrees but you forget that Nigerian army officers are among the best trained in the world military. They attend elite military schools and do well. The problem they have is home grown. Coming back to the country, they realx just like the political class….there is no war coming. Our main problem remains the under-utilization of tradoc. We need to re-tool that organisation to what it was set up for, we need to train hard in peace time to be effective in war time. We were so relaxed that it took time for our officers and men to put up the war mind set. With regards to weapon and tecnology, the NA knows what to do but the political class is slow to respond looking at the cost and the need. They are shortsighted though.

I have this on reliably sourced information that beyond the emergency procurement that GEJ did for this on going war there is a long term plan of military acquisitions for all branches befitting our new found status as the largest GDP in Africa. The problem I see now is if GMB will continue on these long term acquisition plans or take a different path.

Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosu:
How We Monitored Sambisa Military Operations from Abuja
03 May 2015

Says ‘Interesting to watch terrorists in disarray
Pakistani, Ukrainian weapons as game changer
Holds out hope for rescue of missing air force pilots
Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosu has disclosed how improved technological know-how and acquisition of the required weapons, arms and ammunition helped the Armed Forces to monitor the successful prosecution of the Sambisa forest operations right at the situation room in the military headquarters, Abuja.

This is coming as the footage of the operational videos revealed how Nigerian troops are battling and dislodging terrorists inside the notorious Sambisa Forest have shown the dexterity of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilots as masters of their trade.

Amosu disclosed this on Sunday in Abuja while speaking to journalists after the interdenominational church service in celebration of the NAF 51st anniversary (NAF Day 2015).

He said that the footage of the Sambisa operation, which they monitored at the NAF Headquarters Abuja, depicted the terrorists that were in disarray.

According to him, the level of technology deployed in the operations by the Air Force and sister services proved a pivotal role at not only dislodging the terrorists but in recovering the women, girls and children that were under Boko Haram captivity.

He said: “What we put in the forefront when we came in is to increase and improve the operational capability of the force, and we have been able to do that substantially. Right now, we don’t need to talk too much, the testimony is out there in the field.

“We are thinking of getting technology that will give us the possibility from the rear, and we already have some aspects of it; some percentage of being able to see the battle from the rear and then you control the battle space from the rear.

“This is essentially what we have done, and I told you about the footages; you will be shocked that we were right here in Abuja watching and monitoring what was going on out there (Sambisa). All we needed to do is to improve on this, get more technology so we can reduce the platforms and then Nigeria air force will be in tandem with most of the super powers in the world”, he noted.

Amosus assured that the “NAF at 51 can conduct surveillance, gather intelligence necessary for the ground forces to take on the battle. We are able to conduct search and rescue, and we are able to conduct medical evacuation.

“I wish you have access to the latest footage we have where we have terrorists running. It is very amazing how we have turned the tide around and we are very proud of our officers and men of the armed forces that today we are standing strong and it can only get better”.

One of the most outstanding outcomes of the operation, the Air Force noted, is the crucial support in supply of the required types of weapons by countries other than traditional Western allies, especially Pakistan and Ukraine, amongst others.

“I will rest it on the expendable, as we were able to get some huge support from Pakistan. I don’t want to dwell too much on that, but what you are seeing today, one of the major factors to the change in the battle arrangement is those equipment – expendables that we got from Pakistan.

“Again we got some training, it’s not only Pakistan but from Ukraine. We got huge support from most of the nations that elected to support Nigeria in our time of challenges, and we must remember to acknowledge this support”, he said.

Speaking further, CAS expressed hope of recapturing or knowing the whereabouts of the two missing Pilots, Group Captain Braimah and Wing Commander Edima, with the liberation of Sambisa forest and other areas.

He said: “There is hope. For me that was our own 9/11. The crash took place on the 11th of September. In addition to looking for the Chibok girls, we are looking for two of our pilots missing in action who are some of our best.

“We are still looking for them hopefully as we dismantle the cells within Sambisa forest we should hopefully make contact with those excellent gentlemen”.

The good news about the Air-force, Amosu insisted, is about continuity because most of the members of the cell right now, one of them will emerge as the chief of air staff. So the dream is collective.

“So when you are fighting war you have to go for collective contribution and this is what we have done essentially, so we carry everybody along in terms of thoughts, tactics, how to fight the war. I am therefore happy today even when we step out there will be continuity”, he stated .

Meanwhile, some exclusive videos of the operation obtained by PRNigeria, pilots are seen taunting the terrorists with hundreds of the latter running helter skelter and fleeing into different directions.

The videos, according to the news outlet, showed the dislodged and disorganised terrorists in flight in different directions and running helter-skelter in the expansive forest.

In another footage, the report said, the video depicted how vulnerable women and children were cautiously and deliberately guided to safety by the Nigerian pilots.

“Since the essence of the operation is not to kill everybody in sight, the Air Force pilots deploy their skills in herding both terrorists and their captives in different directions so that those conscripted and abducted were guided to safety zone while the armed terrorists met their waterloo”, a military source said.

We thank those countries who stood by us in our darkest our- Ukraine, China, Russia, Pakistan.
As for our so-called “traditional western allies”, well, may you be judged as harshly as u betrayed Nigeria.
As long as their is a God, a day of reckoning will come.
The law of reciprocity will be duly applied

*Says ‘Interesting to watch terrorists in disarray.
*Pakistani, Ukrainian weapons as game changer
*Holds out hope for rescue of missing air force pilots

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosu has disclosed how improved technological know-how and acquisition of the required weapons, arms and ammunition helped the Armed Forces to monitor the successful prosecution of the Sambisa forest operations right at the situation room in the military headquarters, Abuja.

This is coming as the footage of the operational videos revealed how Nigerian troops are battling and dislodging terrorists inside the notorious Sambisa Forest have shown the dexterity of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilots as masters of their trade.

Amosu disclosed this on Sunday in Abuja while speaking to journalists after the interdenominational church service in celebration of the NAF 51st anniversary (NAF Day 2015).

He said that the footage of the Sambisa operation, which they monitored at the NAF Headquarters Abuja, depicted the terrorists that were in disarray.

According to him, the level of technology deployed in the operations by the Air Force and sister services proved a pivotal role at not only dislodging the terrorists but in recovering the women, girls and children that were under Boko Haram captivity.

He said: “What we put in the forefront when we came in is to increase and improve the operational capability of the force, and we have been able to do that substantially. Right now, we don’t need to talk too much, the testimony is out there in the field.

“We are thinking of getting technology that will give us the possibility from the rear, and we already have some aspects of it; some percentage of being able to see the battle from the rear and then you control the battle space from the rear.

“This is essentially what we have done, and I told you about the footages; you will be shocked that we were right here in Abuja watching and monitoring what was going on out there (Sambisa). All we needed to do is to improve on this, get more technology so we can reduce the platforms and then Nigeria air force will be in tandem with most of the super powers in the world”, he noted.

Amosus assured that the “NAF at 51 can conduct surveillance, gather intelligence necessary for the ground forces to take on the battle. We are able to conduct search and rescue, and we are able to conduct medical evacuation.

“I wish you have access to the latest footage we have where we have terrorists running. It is very amazing how we have turned the tide around and we are very proud of our officers and men of the armed forces that today we are standing strong and it can only get better”.

One of the most outstanding outcomes of the operation, the Air Force noted, is the crucial support in supply of the required types of weapons by countries other than traditional Western allies, especially Pakistan and Ukraine, amongst others.

“I will rest it on the expendable, as we were able to get some huge support from Pakistan. I don’t want to dwell too much on that, but what you are seeing today, one of the major factors to the change in the battle arrangement is those equipment – expendables that we got from Pakistan.

“Again we got some training, it’s not only Pakistan but from Ukraine. We got huge support from most of the nations that elected to support Nigeria in our time of challenges, and we must remember to acknowledge this support”, he said.

Speaking further, CAS expressed hope of recapturing or knowing the whereabouts of the two missing Pilots, Group Captain Braimah and Wing Commander Edima, with the liberation of Sambisa forest and other areas.

He said: “There is hope. For me that was our own 9/11. The crash took place on the 11th of September. In addition to looking for the Chibok girls, we are looking for two of our pilots missing in action who are some of our best.

“We are still looking for them hopefully as we dismantle the cells within Sambisa forest we should hopefully make contact with those excellent gentlemen”.

The good news about the Air-force, Amosu insisted, is about continuity because most of the members of the cell right now, one of them will emerge as the chief of air staff. So the dream is collective.

“So when you are fighting war you have to go for collective contribution and this is what we have done essentially, so we carry everybody along in terms of thoughts, tactics, how to fight the war. I am therefore happy today even when we step out there will be continuity”, he stated .

Meanwhile, some exclusive videos of the operation obtained by PRNigeria, pilots are seen taunting the terrorists with hundreds of the latter running helter skelter and fleeing into different directions.

The videos, according to the news outlet, showed the dislodged and disorganised terrorists in flight in different directions and running helter-skelter in the expansive forest.

In another footage, the report said, the video depicted how vulnerable women and children were cautiously and deliberately guided to safety by the Nigerian pilots.

“Since the essence of the operation is not to kill everybody in sight, the Air Force pilots deploy their skills in herding both terrorists and their captives in different directions so that those conscripted and abducted were guided to safety zone while the armed terrorists met their waterloo”, a military source said.

Oga Kola Adekola. I respect your hustle sir.
To the best of my knowledge, nothing beats radar for all weather, all round identification and location of targets. Optical cameras are limited in ability; because they most times cant penetrate thick clouds and walls; Radars eat clouds as mince meat… hehehehe. Synthetic Aperture Radars (SAR), are just one type sir.

@Oga Jimmy, how do you know that the US beat Pakistan’s radar? attacks launched against the Taliban inside Pakistani territory is being done with the knowledge of the Pakistanis, they just won’t come out publicly to say they are in support of it.
I read about this years ago, so I’m sure they knew the US was there. Its more of a silent support.
Have the US hit a pakistani city and then you will see some serious response from them.
My opinion of course.

Oga mcshegz, that is indeed a great advantage for radar.
For clouds, maybe using a wide range of frequencies can help optical systems? Clearly optical systems will never be able to penetrate walls or ground.

I have also looked up SAR, it is really interesting. We learn new things everyday, I am happy I asked this question. Thank you, my Oga.

@jimmy
frankly i had trouble figuring out what u were trying to say .LOL
still this 2 points need rectification

“Jamming electronic signals ( this actually gives you away)”
not true there are systems in existance that will not alert the source

“Overland fly @ over treetop ? +/-150 ft level and S.T.F.U. ( shut the F – UP) maintain radio silence. Oversea ( the ocean fly just above the Sea level 100~200 ft above the sea level this is an inherent weakness in most Radar systems ”
thats why u have layers of radar systems.
low range radar or gap filler radar (2D/3D) most usefull to detect low level or treetop intrusion.
medium range radar (2D/3D)
long range radar (2D/3D)
Over-the-Horizon (OTH) Radar
anti stealth radars or passive radiolocators like VERA
if u have a total air surviellance installed, taking care that there are no radar blind zones 99% of the time u will be alerted to air intrusion.provided u have a strong C4I system in place.

and u should read my comments i have mentioned more than once that radar and optical systems have their own advantages and disadvantages.always systems are designed keeping in mind the strong points.it is not possible to explain each and every point and since the question from kola adekola was benefit of radar over optical system,i made the mistake of comparing the advantages and disadvantages of both the radar and the optical system.
hence ur confusion regarding my answer. (****Let me say this with out a shadow of doubt OGA LACHIT has forgotten more about technology concerning Radar than I can ever think to remember****) hehehe man u made me smile considering i am a electronics and communication engineer

Though radar is an effective sensor, particularly in its advanced forms, it has a fundamental weakness as it requires that the transmitter illuminate the target with energy. In doing so it identifies itself and betrays its location, not to speak of its vulnerability to deceptive or other ECM. Electro-optical (EO) sensors, on the other hand, do not have these deficiencies, as they are entirely passive, sensing energy emitted by or reflected off the target itself.
eg
Infrared Search and Track Systems (IRSTS) – The IRSTS is an EO analogue of a radar system. A focal plane array detector is scanned across the field of regard, and the locations of detected targets are displayed on a CRT. Although without direct range measuring capability, triangulation techniques can be used for passive ranging. If combined with a laser rangefinder, an IRSTS could function just like an optical radar. An IRST provides better angular resolution but poorer range accuracy than a radio frequency based radar system.

In comparison a radar in situational awareness mode (SAM), combines both tracking and scanning to allow a pilot to track one or a small number of “interesting” targets while not losing the big picture of what other targets are doing. In this mode, the radar beam sweeps the sky, while briefly and regularly pausing its scan to check up on a locked target.
Note that all of this comes with tradeoffs. In the end, a radar is only as powerful as it is, and you can put a lot of radar energy on one target, or spread it out weakly throughout the sky, or some compromise in between.

generally although radar is preferred,as i have already mentioned it has the disadvantage of giving away the location of the fighter jet, since the radar waves are detectable. However, some newer radar systems, such as the F-22’s AN/APG-77 active electronically scanned array, are designed to be very difficult to detect. Typically the radar will be initially operated in Range While Search mode, which searches for aircraft and provides the location of everything found. From this mode, targets can be selected to lock the radar onto, and the radar is then usually switched to Track While Scan mode, which splits the radar’s time between tracking selected targets and scanning for other aircraft. The radar can typically provide heading, altitude, and velocity information for tracked aircraft.

radars based on AESA technology can perform several tasks practically simultaneously. The transmitting energy is generated directly in the antenna, namely in a multitude of transmit and receive modules (TRMs), instead of in a delicate central transmitter whose functionality is of critical importance. The new technology offers so many operational advantages for the user that AESA radars is being used in many fields of reconnaissance and surveillance.

The cameras mounted on fighter jets — even the most sophisticated cameras — can only give high resolution images, they would not be very useful in reconnaissance missions in terrains like jungle canopy. The radars, on the other hand, give a 2D signal on the screen indicating the coordinates. In certain missions, the radar outputs will have a lot to interpret.

COUNTER STEALTH
however it is known openly that some advance OPTICAL SYSTEMS are able to detect and track low-RCS (STEALTH) targets at subsonic speeds, due to skin friction, heat radiating through the skin from the engine, and the exhaust plume.thus we can assume with confidence that if something moves fast through the air, disrupts molecules and puts out heat, it’s going to be detected by the passive optical systems.

In short the choice between optical systems and radar is something that the military forces have to make during procurement.there are no clear advantages or diadvantages.choice is on your operational requirements.

Let me say this with out a shadow of doubt OGA LACHIT has forgotten more about technology concerning Radar than I can ever think to remember,
Example #1
The Helicopters used to take out OBL flew at treetop level as they descended into the valley.
The Helicopters that the US used to invade PAKISTANI’S airspace has/had Stealth technology which purpose is/ was to evade giving of either a heat signature or what in Radar technology is called an electronic/Magnetic signature period .
How really is this defeated ?
ECM( Electronic counter measures) or Jamming electronic signals ( this actually gives you away) .The truth is more simplistic : Overland fly @ over treetop ? +/-150 ft level and S.T.F.U. ( shut the F – UP) maintain radio silence. Oversea ( the ocean fly just above the Sea level 100~200 ft above the sea level this is an inherent weakness in most Radar systems regardless of what OGA LACHIT is saying.
Example #2
ISRAEL despite SYRIA having at the time a relative good air system buzzed the Presidential Palace of Syria.
Pakistan did not have any clue whatsoever as to when / where the Helicopters were coming from or where they were going in fact they were Embarrassed, and later on would retaliate by refusing to help/ cooperate in helping/ negotiate for the release/rescue of
Sgt Bowe Bergdahl who through what is now being perceived through the lens of hindsight as the biggest dupe engineered by the Qataris to swap a common deserter for the worst of the worse of Taliban leadership.

I can see a combination of optical and radar into a single system being the future. Passive optics for high resolution (accurate image recognition) and AESA type radars for penetration and to hide the signals. It might take artificial intelligence to bring mesh both technologies seamlessly. What do you think?

“IRST provides better angular resolution”
This seems to be a typo sir.

@jimmy
frankly i had trouble figuring out what u were trying to say .LOL
still this 2 points need rectification

“Jamming electronic signals ( this actually gives you away)”
not true there are systems in existance that will not alert the source

“Overland fly @ over treetop ? +/-150 ft level and S.T.F.U. ( shut the F – UP) maintain radio silence. Oversea ( the ocean fly just above the Sea level 100~200 ft above the sea level this is an inherent weakness in most Radar systems ”
thats why u have layers of radar systems.
low range radar or gap filler radar (2D/3D) most usefull to detect low level or treetop intrusion.
medium range radar (2D/3D)
long range radar (2D/3D)
Over-the-Horizon (OTH) Radar
anti stealth radars or passive radiolocators like VERA
if u have a total air surviellance installed, taking care that there are no radar blind zones 99% of the time u will be alerted to air intrusion.provided u have a strong C4I system in place.

and u should read my comments i have mentioned more than once that radar and optical systems have their own advantages and disadvantages.always systems are designed keeping in mind the strong points.it is not possible to explain each and every point and since the question from kola adekola was benefit of radar over optical system,i made the mistake of comparing the advantages and disadvantages of both the radar and the optical system.
hence ur confusion regarding my answer. (****Let me say this with out a shadow of doubt OGA LACHIT has forgotten more about technology concerning Radar than I can ever think to remember****) hehehe man u made me smile considering i am a electronics and communication engineer

@kola adekola
“IRST provides better angular resolution”
this is true,
you see angular resolution refers to the ability of any optical device to form distinct, separate images of objects lying close together in the field of view. The finer the resolution, the better we can distinguish the objects and the more detail we can see.

IRST is a optical sensor, and performance factors of most interest for a optical sensor are its thermal resolution and its angular resolution.
FYI the thermal resolution is the temperature difference between two adjacent parts of a scene at which two points can, just be distinguished. this is similar to range resolution in radar theory.
the angular resolution is simply the field of view on an individual detector, and the smaller the detector, the better the angular resolution.

u can see this for ur self by using Rayleigh criterion formula
θ=1.22 λ/D
θ is the angular resolution (radians)
λ is the wavelength of light
D is the diameter of the lens aperture

the relationship between thermal resolution and angular resolution is an inverse relationship, so that, the smaller or better the angular resolution, the larger or poorer the thermal resolution.
In short, there is a trade off between thermal and angular resolutions that is influenced by detector size. With the IRST/FLIR systems, angular resolutions of less than a milliradian are readily achievable, while thermal resolutions of hundredths of a degree centigrade can be achieved.
Unfortunately, these high angular and thermal resolutions cannot be achieved with one system.though as far as i know ongoing research might provide breakthrough.

while in the case of a radar angular resolution is the minimum angular separation at which two equal targets can be separated when at the same range. the angular resolution characteristics of a radar as determined by the antenna beam width represented by the
-3 dB angle θ which is defined by the half-power (-3 dB) points. the half-power points of the antenna radiation pattern (i.e. the -3 dB beam width) are normally specified as the limits of the antenna beam width for the purpose of defining angular resolution, two identical targets at the same distance are, therefore, resolved in angle if they are separated by more than the antenna -3 dB beam width.
most importantly the smaller the beam width θ, the higher the directivity of the radar antenna which is a important parameter. The angular resolution as a distance between two targets can be calculated by the following formula
Sa ≥ 2R * sin θ/2
θ = antenna beam width (Theta)
Sa = angular resolution as a distance between two targets
R = slant range
the accuracy of angular measurement is determined by the directivity, which is a function of the size of the antenna.
another defination is that the angular resolution is equal to the aperture of the antenna beam, which, in turn, is related to the antenna linear dimension and to the signal wavelength. For an antenna having linear dimension l, and for an operating wavelength lambda, the beam aperture (in radiants) can be approximated by the formula
θ=1.22 λ/l
as we can see the use of higher operating frequencies (shorter wavelenght) allows us to use smaller antennas for the same angular resolution eg radars in aircrafts which utilize I/J- Band (X- and Ku- Band Radars).in this frequency-band (8 to 12 GHz) the relationship between used wavelength and size of the antenna is considerably better than in other frequency-bands where size of the radar matters.

@kola adekola
“I can see a combination of optical and radar into a single system being the future. Passive optics for high resolution (accurate image recognition) and AESA type radars for penetration and to hide the signals. It might take artificial intelligence to bring mesh both technologies seamlessly”
yes it is the future path for development of such combo systems.
and some research is already going on
got to wait 5-6 years to see the results

Not trying to ignore your question OGA KOLA but what the CAS is disclosing is extremely important OGA RUGGED THANK YOU SO MUCH ( Capital letters my emphasis)
My fellow ogas let me boldly say the NAF minus the 4th GEN planes which we will soon get ( Now I am more convinced than ever they will be the SU27/30) have taken the first and crucial step to join the Nigerian Navy to enter the 21 st century in terms of openly acknowledging the role that technology is playing in destroying bh
“We are thinking of getting technology that will give us the possibility from the rear, and we already have some aspects of it; some percentage of being able to see the battle from the rear and then you control the battle space from the rear”.
This is something we have prayed for on this blog since 2009 it is what Nigeria really needs a joint ops command between the ARMY, NAVY AND AIRFORCE whereby events in the field are relayed in real time to the decision makers at the highest level in ABUJA AND LAGOS and the decision is made right there to counter whatever is going wrong it is possible if this structure was in place and there is no evidence to prove this infrastructure was in place then that BAGA AND Monguno would of fallen.
“Again we got some training, it’s not only Pakistan but from Ukraine. We got huge support from most of the nations that elected to support Nigeria in our time of challenges, and we must remember to acknowledge this support”, he said.”
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT Nigeria continue that support based on the doctrine of reliability it must be spelled out to both Britain and America they are going / have already come calling they should be told politely and firmly “So sorry these are our RELIABLE ALLIES YES we have good relationship with both of you but Nigeria intends to have extensive / embedded relationships with the PAKISTANI military y”all can write whatever you want in your media empires, ditto UKRAINE.
The CAS deliberately left out one country which I am almost certain is Israel.
In conclusion based on what is being said it is more than evident that these guys read this blog line by line let us be mindful if we want to make an impact / change of what we say.

oga Jimmy, NAF needs to get more surveillance platforms. these aircraft are indispensable. the fact that the air force is only just beginning to appreciate full spectrum warfare, says alot about the mindset of the top brass.

yes, we cant be as equipped as first world countries, but we can still do great things with average hardware. we do not need F-22s to become a first rate military. we can have a first rate armed forces with a decent budget. we just need to be more serious with our order of battle. the military today is still very far behind, there is a steep learning curve. the top brass just have to be more open minded and embrace technology and new tactics.

In real open war with anti aircraft assets ( both SA and Fighter platforms), the surveillance platforms need to be very well protected by having air superiority over sizable chucks of the airspace over the contested area. Hence capable air superiority fighter platforms is a must to take out adverse fighters and also offer anti radiation capability to neutralize enemy ground radars,missile batteries.

@ Oga Martin Luther
Nigeria is currently having a Turkey shoot because our army in the last few month have been reborn after going through a series of fire forges in the hands of BH. Like the Phoenix NA has been reborn from the ashes of desertion, fear, cowardice and lack of proper training. Now we can beat our chest and say ‘yes! we did it” those other countries have ways to go.

It’s upsetting watching this. Why are these guys not been engaged? Engaging these people in this location would not have recquired precision munition. They are concentrated around each other, I think NAF can engage basic means of bombing these people before they got to that settlement.

Americans destroyed more than 1000 vehicles of a retreating Iraqi army in desert storm 1. What we are seeing is caused by s lack of platforms to pick them off from the air. The ATR aircraft shooting this of course would be almost 100km away doing wide loops in the air. However if BH was being engaged you would be seeing a multi directional retreat not everyone of them going in one direction.

The platforms would need to do more of strafing and carry large load of small caliber rockets ( Large area of personnel targets) , No enemy’s real estate worthy of high explosives was show in the video ( only flimsy looking huts, 4x4s and would have been similarly destroyed by fragmentation ordinance). It looks like a very rich anti – personnel environment, the AA mounted trucks should be put “out” commission first, then it becomes an ideal harvest ground for AH and slow flying /high endurance FW platforms. The aerial attacks and engaging assets could be sequenced as per task, the heavy load and fast guys go in first to get the party going ( Tora -matic – Surprise Surprise) . followed by slower, high maneuverability air assets “decked out” with light rocket and anti personnel ” weapons and loads, their primary task should include killing and destroying wheeled vehicles /objects ( A long walk in the sun, without supplies and water for BH’s cadres, would help their soul to consider surrendering) including the towed gun that was shown in the video ( It looks like BH’s priced procession) and any concentration of running foot guys, Then lastly the turkey shoot guys and anti personnel ordinance.
Platform endurance needs to be taken into consideration during this encounters as well as the ordinance loads. It looks like the aerial engagement was broken off or ended ( I suspect due aircraft endurance or exhausted weapon load), A second wave at an appropriate time interval would have caught the fleeing BHs in the open and delivery priorities could have be directed by the surveillance asset doing the filming. it was also visible that some tracked assets were hidden under a tree ( my be the all important food and water truck).
Armed RW rescue platforms should also be in the aerial pattern to intervene by making forceful retraction / quickly snatch of any downed aircrews in case of mishaps. ( I would hate to float down in a chute into that crowd)
Since they are in the open, in daylight , they must be destroyed, give no quarter, because they would give no quarter, they must not be given any break to re-organize or they would live to fight another day plus a little more knowledge of how best to evade air strikes. They must be made to realize that they are now been hunted and would be killed if they do not surrender. The game is over for larges scale BH concentrations.

Perhaps, you want to see them being machine gunned vide game style, like they show in Western attacks.
Just remember that there have been numerous false allegations of “human rights” abuse against our army, so they would be very rightly loathe to show the aftermath.

Also, our army has never had the habit of displaying live kills, which in the long run is a wise thing both for the psychology of Nigerians and the image of our military forces.

I see this as more of a herding action than a passive observation.
With a probability of women and children being in the camps, it would be the wisest thing to scare the BH fools into making a dash for it so as to separate them from the civilians.
Now once separated, herd them into a killing zone; the open arms of our gleeful forces.
Notice they all seem to be heading in one direction, this could mean that there was a greater threat in the opposite direction. This is a classical maneuver and I think the NA/NAF wouldn’t show this video if it was just a passive observation knowing our penchant to read the worst meanings into the smallest incidents.

guys it is bad PR to show airpower killing terrorists who have innocent women and children embedded with them.that is why this video is clean.NAF is clever.
what stops the BH to use explosives to blow up some children and women and blame it on the NAF.it will be hard to differentiate wheather the victims were killed by rockets or bombs fired from air or set off in the ground.finding it out is not impossible but by the time the real culprits are identified the western media will have long chewed up the nigerian government and caused unnecessary international outrage.

“The NAF which is on verge of getting even More platforms ( GO TO beegeagle’s twitter) has not run out of ordinance.-or targets”
my comment was on how the boko harem might use the excuse of the air strikes to blow up some of the hostages with explosives on the ground to mimick the explosive effect of airstrikes.and blame it on NAFby saying that the hostages died due to airstrikes.

this was not a statement or concrete truth by me but only put forward as a possibility which i though might have some bearing.
how difficult is to understand it.and how does my comment have any connection with ” run out of ordinance.-or targets ”
god only knows

I have declined to comment on the VIDEO not because I know more than you my fellow ogas.
Please read oga RUGGED’ s thread very carefully about what the CAS said.
@OGA OLA much respect for your comments however this is a Sanitized video even the sound has been deliberately deleted , for those who complained they were allowed to get away how do you know they got away? I do not want to sound like IGBI or parrot Fort B we do see the tell tale sign of little mushroom clouds and the Inherent panic which does indicate not only are Bombs are Falling but AMMO is being used.
The NAF has an EXCELLENT view @ this point in time of the four CARDINAL points of the Sambisa Forests ( North/ East/ West/ South) the problem is the limitation in Collateral damage to Women and Children, Let us put it in perspective Last month America ended up due to faulty Intel used a drone to kill two Hostages this month Nigeria has so far rescued 700 women and Children.
There is a lot that the NAF has to keep to their Chest let us remember this war is still ongoing.

True, We must remember that we are armchair spectators, those that wear the show know where it hurts, Respects to all combatant (NA, NN, NAF) and respects to all fallen Hero’s and their loved ones/families they have left behind. at the appropriate time we should do some thing for their families and kids. the sacrifices were done for You and I, no question.

What i personally hate is these stupid people called amnesty international, giving orders as if they run the show.
And also the article made it seem as if the election of a new President is the reason why the troops are now doing better, but they started this offensive before Gen Buhari won the election, so their timeline is useless on that one.

I tried to post this earlier but it still said awaiting moderation.http://www.naij.com/432230-buhari-to-heavily-clamp-down-on-military-officers.html
I think this is a little bit premature to speculate on because May 29th is still Three and a half weeks away however leading up to those weeks there will be rampant speculation as to what will be done.
I will try my best to talk to people I know directly or indirectly who have either worked with Buhari in the past or know him personally so we can get a clearer picture rather than speculate.
Buhari curiously has some first about him that are interesting
* GMB is the only head of state not to/ deliberately promote himself to the Rank of the Four Star General.He was a MAJ .GEN .
* GMB served as a GOC in at least 3 out of the 4 army divisions at that time I stand corrected but I do not believe he ever served as GOC in what was then the LAGOS ( division) 81st.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammadu_Buhari
*The current NSA Col Rtd Dasuki Sambo was one of three Colonels( UMAR AND GWADABE) who arrested GMB during the coup of 1985 . He will now be responsible to talking to GMB ‘s self appointed NSA (LT . GEN Dumbazu/Gen Lawal ) on a daily basis leading up to the handover.
* His Father- in -law LT .GEN (RTD). GUSAU the current def Minister was #2 on the list that was given to GMB to be retired by GMB loyalist at the time (IBB was #1) He will be responsible for now informing GMB of all impending Military contracts/ procurements .These are going to be very sensitive relationships which will impact the direction of where Nigeria will go as they say in biz it is all about relationships. One of my well to do Nigerian friend told me” it is not really about how many Millions you have in Nigeria it is who you know and when you know that person.”
** It is this writer’s opinion that a thorough review of incoming procurement will be done but it is very unlikely based on events shaping on the Ground that any procurement contracts will be cancelled , rather look for them to be enhanced, The SU27/ 30 deal will also in my opinion will be examined and most likely fast- tracked.
More crucially to Nigeria’s interests he has served in a role of the Quarter master General at a time similar to this when the Nigerian Army was Under- Equipped (1966-1969). This role will be tested sorely when he is fully appraised of what the ENTIRE ARMED FORCES have and do not have.
For those who think it will be beneficial for GEJ to just go to his Farm in Bayelsea it is not a good thing. He will be needed.

http://www.naij.com/432230-buhari-to-heavily-clamp-down-on-military-officers.html
I think this is a little bit premature to speculate on because May 29th is still Three and a half weeks away however leading up to those weeks there will be rampant speculation as to what will be done.
I will try my best to talk to people I know directly or indirectly who have either worked with Buhari in the past or know him personally so we can get a clearer picture rather than speculate.
Buhari curiously has some first about him that are interesting
* GMB is the only head of state not to/ deliberately promote himself to the Rank of the Four Star General.He was a MAJ .GEN .
* GMB served as a GOC in at least 3 out of the 4 army divisions at that time I stand corrected but I do not believe he ever served as GOC in what was then the LAGOS ( division) 81st.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammadu_Buhari
*The current NSA Col Rtd Dasuki Sambo was one of three Colonels( UMAR AND GWADABE) who arrested GMB during the coup of 1985 . He will now be responsible to talking to GMB ‘s self appointed NSA (LT . GEN Dumbazu/Gen Lawal ) on a daily basis leading up to the handover.
* His Father- in -law LT .GEN (RTD). GUSAU the current def Minister was #2 on the list that was given to GMB to be retired by GMB loyalist at the time (IBB was #1) He will be responsible for now informing GMB of all impending Military contracts/ procurements .These are going to be very sensitive relationships which will impact the direction of where Nigeria will go as they say in biz it is all about relationships. One of my well to do Nigerian friend told me” it is not really about how many Millions you have in Nigeria it is who you know and when you know that person.”
** It is this writer’s opinion that a thorough review of incoming procurement will be done but it is very unlikely based on events shaping on the Ground that any procurement contracts will be cancelled , rather look for them to be enhanced, The SU27/ 30 deal will also in my opinion will be examined and most likely fast- tracked.
More crucially to Nigeria’s interests he has served in a role of the Quarter master General at a time similar to this when the Nigerian Army was Under- Equipped (1966-1969). This role will be tested sorely when he is fully appraised of what the ENTIRE ARMED FORCES have and do not have.
For those who think it will be beneficial for GEJ to just go to his Farm in Bayelsea it is not a good thing. He will be needed.

Largely discredited (by end of first world war) battlefield theory , but still used by Terrorists and even by advanced armies (US forces routinely practiced this in Op Iraqi Freedon and the Vietnamese war). I am putting this in here cos I found it interesting and also wondering if we will see counter attacks in the rainy season by BH. Since they cannot defend the territory they hold and their Takfiri Daesh butt buddies are who they model themselves after.

I doubt the the cult of offense does works even when combined with maneuver warfare, I would seriously say NA should build a border fence to defend against future attacks cross country. The isrealis, Saudis and other countries have done this, I think its time we build a fence (See Western Sahara and the DMZ) and yes, unfortunately we may have to mine it.

I know its unpopular and I myself never liked the idea, but Cameroon is going to become the front line and we cannot consider occupying the extreme Nord. We can run patrols but we cannot attack Cameroon… We have to seriously consider a fence.

America built a fence for one neighbor Mexico and people are smuggled into America everyday, infact some people will tell you the fence is useless. What has been effective has been surveillance. Daily patrols and border enforcement and Liaising ( meeting with Mexican Law Enforcement)
Nigeria has 4 four NEIGHBORS so buy some people’s reasoning we will 1000 KM fences over 4 different countries meanwhile the law abiding people will you the lawful legal points of entry, the unlawful, drug / arms smugglers/ remnants of boko haram will easily dig six foot tunnel on the other side of Niger and stroll in.
There are also ancestral ties that go back centuries between the Hausas , Shuwa, Fulani and other ethnic groups that go back way back a wall will not stop.
This is not being defeatist it is being practical .I would not accept a contract to build such a wall even though I would become a millionaire overnight because that is just STEALING from the F.G. have Daily patrols, backed up by the cjtf, follwed by regular police, followed by the CTU and then the NA also supplement by at least four surveillance turbo prop aircraft.
By the way KENYA AND SAUDI ARABIA are wasting a lot of money doing nothing.

@jimmy, I disagree with your assesment. First of all the usa fence is an important part of the usa border controle. If there were no fenses seperating the usa from mexico, then right now the latino would be the majority of the usa population (which wouldn’t be a bad thing if you ask me). Moreover you are missing the point: It is impossible to patrole such a large border as that of Nigeria if you don’t have obstacles stopping people from moving freely. The obstacles don’t need to be mere fences, but rather a clever combination of ditches fences, natural obstacles and all. And ofcourse it doesn’t end there. To complement all this, you also need airforce and ground patrole. You need several things to meke it work, not just one thing. Most importantly we need to use our brains. It is workable.

There is no money for any gadem FENCE. That solution can be very ineffective and unless the operating country is high tech capable like Israel and S. Korea the ROI is actually doubtful. It might be more advisable to deploy a non lethal, non explosive, mine field where buried sensors wired into a monitoring system replace mines and act as sensors detecting entry . Cheap, sensors are very difficult to detect, cheap to replace and mass entry can be responded to quick enough.

@arejames your proposition is unworkable and would cost much more in the end. As I keep saying, it is not just one “thing” which would solve the problem, but a numerous “things” and ideas. Why not use sensors ? But why stop there ? Why not also make sure that there are obstacles to slow the illegal migrants down. Contrary to your belief, soldiers are not supermen and given the size of our border, you can’t possibly claim “rapid intervention” if you don’t have a system in place to slow the illegals down considerably. The only result of your proposition would be that detectors (whose existance I am not aware of) in various locations will be activating and soldiers would be flying in and out of several loctions all day and they will always be arriving too late and the entire operation will be so costly and so ineffective that the economy will take a beaten.

Nigeria needs to build a fence or dig a trench to delineate our border with Cameroon.
It is a matter of utmost urgency.

Forget the antics and idiotic posturing of our neighbouring puppets, Cameroon and Chad, they are both boko haram sanctuaries. The Far North of Cameroon is almost empty of people who are not boko haram members. Indeed, things are so bad there that Deputy Prime Minister Amadou Ali’s was kidnapped at Amchide. It is no secret that almost all young men in Cameroons Far North have been promised riches for going to Nigeria to fight with boko haram.

As for Chad (and Niger republic), it supplies its military officers as boko haram commanders. French helicopters dropped propaganda leaflets written in Niger Republic and Chadian Hausa and Arabic dialects over Adamawa Highlands asking boko haram members to give up. Coincidence?
Watch a video of Chads ex-Foreign Minister talking about how Chad serves as the arms conduit for haram. With boko haram getting arms from markets in Chad, Sudan, Central African Republic and Libya… All passing through Chad:

Kenya is currently planning to fence her borders, I wonder what Nigeria is waiting for. The fencing can be done and also be translated into a job creation venture. Poverty alleviation programs in the past has yielded nothing in Nigeria, this can be again floated this time around to yield dividends to the people. Employ able bodied men and women in border communities, provide adequate security covers in forms of heavy military patrols, get the employed people to dig tranches and build fences in places that are possible, mine the hostile terrains and refuse to share the map with the country on the other side of the areas that have been mined. Just tell them the coordinates of the mapped area. This is a primary measure, a physical barrier. As the barriers are being built proper border posts should also be constructed along the fence for joint stationing of immigration, soldiers, civil defence and police. Electronic measures should also be employed and NASRDA should be called in with satellite coverage. There has to be a long term plan for those borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon. With satellite imagery and proper documentation at border crossing, movement of people between the two borders should be mapped and the border control should adapted to emerging trends with time.

May I ask why there is no fence in Bakassi?. Won’t that have been more appropriate?.
At least we need to demarcate and show the new UN drawn borders and prevent more encroachment. This idea of a fence is very confused, emotional and feminine thinking . The only country to gain from it is Cameroon. It is they you would be protecting. The Boko Haram you want to fence in are at least 85% Nigerians. The problem started here and became international and I say it again they prefer to stay in-country. Right if them effectively in Nigeria will destroy the sect.If you start fencing today, Cameroon would be happy, Nigeria is picking the foolishly again, fencing its problems within its own borders something that would have bankrupted them if they were to do it on their own.

There is one law of electronics which I learnt when I was in high school, I don’t know the english name, the french name is Loi d’Ohm. And it says U=RI, meaning that the tension (U) is equal to the resistance (R) times the intensity (I). If you try to apply this law to border crossing then I would identify the tension U(p,t) at a given space time (p,t) (with p being an illegal border point and t being a date in time) with the number of people trying to cross the border at (p,t) and the intensity I(p,t) the number of people crossing the border at (p,t), I would identify the resistance R(p,t) with the difficulty of crossing the border at (p,t). With air patrols we easily notice great variations of U(p,t) therefor we can put U(p,t) in check and make sure it doesn’t pass an arbitrary number (M) (e.g: by sending our troops across the border where we have noticed a great number of people massing to cross the border (this can’t be done if there is nothing significantly slowing down the illegal crossing of the border)). So let us assume that we can controle U(p,t) (by making it smaller than a random M). We have I(p,t)=U(p,t)/R(p,t). Therefor the more you increase R(p,t) the fewer the people crossing the border.

In france it is usually U ( I don’t know why though ). And the french call it “tension”, to me that makes more sense than calling it “voltage” (which is what the english do) since “volt” is a unity of measure. two different conventions. I think this law applies well tot border crossing, what do you think ?

it’s okay
I understand the physical appearance that a wall possesses in terms of intimidation ditto ditches and the electrified fence and i will concede at known points of BH ENTRY these measures should be implemented but there measures of success will be limited.

An electronic Fence / Curtain, punctuated by control centers at overlapping intervals is a faster and more economic and viable alternative. this would be served by a number of quick reaction bases (Air – RW and FW, ATV, and Boats). the advantage of the electronic walls is you see as much as 200 -1000Kms into outside the border, this is more than ample time to intercept or set up an ambush to stop any incoming un-friendlies. It can be put up in under 6 months to cover all borders ( large area monitoring systems) , also a force multiplier.fractions of the cost of building a physical barrier/wall. full intelligence system and as clear with high definition ( recognizes car number plates and faces at several miles away) like the surveillance aircraft videos, both day and night, would also track and record for a 30 days period or recording can be archived away from location. instant access by central command at the capital and arm units. (NAF, NA, NN, MOD, etc). advance systems would detect aircraft or low flying missiles. system is totally passive and would not rise much concern from our neighbor, because their is no transmission or radiation into their Country or beyond our borders. All at 1/10 the cost of building walls. The system also gives enough room for local Engineers and scientist to manipulate and customization of the components to our own specification. ( we can manufacture and reverse engineer easily).

Sorry for the shelling/typo it is war time anyway. Glad things are finally going our way as it should, strange the West media seems to have been humbled (action speaks loader than words). Up NA, Up NAF, Up NN

It is difficult to understand why reuters is still sticking to its false story of land mines hampering Nigerian military in sambisa forrest. The liberation of these women and the entire stories reuters itself is saying contradict the landmine hampering story. It seems to me that the Nigerian military has mastered the field and it is all a matter of time before the boko vermines all die.

I am almost certain that the story about innocent being crushed is either said by boko haram sympathizers, either an other media invention to paint the Nigerian military in bad light, either it is just an unfortunate traffic accident.

From another seemingly more detailed source it was said that it was accidental. The ladies were said to be hiding in a brush/bush which was in the path of the advancing vehicles and it was noted that it was a pure accident that occurred during the fog of battle.

I believe that these journalists did it on purpose to leave that out in order for other journalists to speculate and arrive to an erronous conclusion. The aim is to give the Nigerian military a bad name.

One thing going for Bells apart from available local support is quick entry and egress by airborne forces. It is the ideal chopper for QRFs landing also able to seat more soldiers than the Gazelle. Not much known about hot and high performance of this bird but it looks well matched to the service.

@Jimmy
I believe the legendary Eeben Barlow of STTEP either on this blog or another, made mention of purchasing their equipment, wherever and whenever they were hired. Upon expiration of their contract, such equipment would be handed over to the host government that hired them.

If I am not mistaken, I believe the gazelles and the huey were part of the equipment purchased and used during their 3 months contract period.

I think right here you can see why we still don’t have a real physical border. Some people just hate the idea. I don’t know exactly why, but some people hate it and prefer to have boko haram doing cross border raids to kill Nigerians than actually closing illegal entry points. They come with various excuses of why we shouldn’t make a physical border. Some propose ridiculous solutions which I suspect they know are not workable. To me @arejames is a perfect example of this. Ofcourse there are others who might just have made a little mistake in calculation. And again I mean no offense. I am just stating my mind.

OGA IGBI
Before you get yourself in trouble again CALM DOWN. No one hates the idea/ (s) you are proposing you have to understand the practicality of the ideas of what you are proposing and then look at other countries who have tried such solutions and see what kind of success or failure they have had and then compare it with Nigeria.
Nigeria has Four countries that share borders with her , and unlike the other countries with the exception of the US the four countries all have Extensive ancestral and Cultural links that transcend Borders that is problem #1
Problem#2 I can train my meiguard in Nigeria to build a solid 20- foot wall over a 1000km long with a solid reinforced FOUNDATION 6 FEET DEEP .This just covers the border with Cameroon , and I have just spent $100m on to Niger another $100m Chad which has some swamp infested area will require $300 m then to Benin $50 m $550 m and the day after boko Haram digs a seven foot trench and enters does the cost justify the means? Please answer the question logically , no one is saying you are wrong .
Compromise #1 spend half of that to build check points along known smugglers route, buys surveillance turbo prop aircraft and up- grade your customs to paramilitary status
with border patrols and drones , this might be an alternative solution.

I think you will find a part of my answer below. And what you don’t seem to understand is that the idea is not to create an unbreachable border, but to make it cost a lot of time and energy and money to all those who are trying to breach the border, in that way the airpatrols and intelligence community will have time to detect the illegals or terrorists and deal with them ! Ofcourse some people are going to try and breach it, but you will not only detect where those people are coming from, but you will mostlikely detect them in time to stop them from entering. And for the fourth time on this same page, it is not just about fences, but also about ditches and natural obstacles; If any damage is done to any part of the physical border, then it will simply be repaired !And yes, I also said that there should be air patroles, ther should be checkpoints. I am suggesting all that you are suggesting, but in addition I am suggesting a PHYSICAL BORDER. And it doesn’t really matter how ethniczlly related people are across the border, if they have no illegal business then they should feel confortable enough to cross the border through legal entry points. And for your info costums are already paramilitary.

I don’t understand why you are going on about what you have not given good thought to. To fence a plot of land in Nigeria is 2 million naira. A ten foot high concrete fence for Nigeria’s NE border is probably $3B-) conservative and that is assuming you don’t even try to fence the natural border sections like Mandara mountains into Cameroon. If you add observation towers and cameras, maybe $5B-). On top of that problem, one sixth of Nigeria’s NE border is actually water and a dried out lake. You will also fence that too, abi?.To even mobilize to construct the fence is enough logistic and security nightmare on its own quite comparable to the Boko Haram problem you are trying to solve.

Ordinary seismographic sensors are cheap not to talk of the even less expensive pressure, movement, modern trip wire designs of sensors and other sensor types which can all be discreetly powered by disguised solar panels. It does not take a stretch of imagination to match sensor type to terrain and have a holistic solution that will indicate bad guy ingress into Nigeria so that quick response force a can be vectored to handle the threat. The essnce of a.border in ECOWAS free movement of person protocol is monitoring, regulation and keeping out the bad guys, it is not preventing natural movement.

There is an interesting anecdote to what a border is about. Almost 2000km of the Saudi Yemeni border is actually marked in dotted lines and described on the map as ‘undefined’ quite clearl. When you you do look at the terrain on the map, you understand why. There is no better border than what nature has created there and there is no point mapping thousands of square metres of sand dunes that no human dares to cross even.with the most special vehicles.

I have a few questions ? Are you sure you don’t write science fiction ?
Because you seem good at fiction.
Seriously, as I have said at least three times on this same page, it is not about fencing alone ! It is not about just one idea, but about a combination of ideas. fencing, dicteches, natural obstacles and so on… And for your information, crossing at illegal enty points is illegal !!! It is not supposed to happen !!! there are designated border gates through which legal migrants are supposed to pass ! I don’t know how hard it is for you to understand this, I am talking about ILLEGAL entry points !!! And once again your proposal is unworkable and your numbers are unreliable.

Saudi Arabia with it’s billions has struggled to contain it’s ethnic houthis on either side of the border with YEMEN , OGA IGBI it has nothing to do with MONEY / Will power/ technology it has everything to do with the fact that they are Houthis and they have lived on both sides of the border long before Saudi Arabia and Yemen became countries.

It doesn’t matter if they have lived on the other side of the border for billions of years. When there is a problem you look for a solution, that is why the saudis have opted to building a fence, that is why they ar doing something.

The people you are trying to fence out are not worried about the legality or the illegality of the law and stop yelling .
You are proposing and we are telling you the practicality behind it oga igbi , it will costs billions, that is the fact and there is no guarantee whatsoever that it will work .
Go and visit Mandara MTS as the oxygen gets sucked out of your and supervise building a 20 ft wall I have BUILT 20 ft SOLID walls and people have scaled them and defaced them the NEXT DAY for fun .

Please I am goint to ask you to use your imagination a little bit more. For the fifth time, I didn’t say “just walls”. I believe I said: “a combination of things and ideas”. Basically it is a problem to solve and the solution is not just saying “it can’t be done” nor is it proposing ideas that you know are unworkable. And it doesn’t matter if the people care about legality or not, they will be forces to use legal entry points.

it is funny that kenya has only witnessed a few attacks and these attacks are quite recent, yet kenya is doing something about its border. saudi arbia is in the same situation as kenya, yet saudi arabia is doing something about the border, but Nigeria which has witnessed maitatsine, war with chad and smuggling and now boko haram, all this spans for 40 years and still we haven’t done a single thing about the border. This way of thinking with emotions needs to stop because it will ultimately kill us all. Let the brains do their work.

The last attack that Kenya witnessed was along to continue unabated not because of a wall but out of the sheer incompetence of their armed forces.This had nothing to do with a wall it took their crimminaly negligent Armed forces Heirachy 10 hours to get find a helicopter and then 12 minutes to kill 4 terrorist it would the recruits coming out of the depot @ Zaria or Oshodi forty minutes.

No I do not want the Border wide open This honestly what I believe Nigeria should do: Have designated points of entry Upgrade your Customs personnel to paramilitary status Use remote sensors at suspected BH crossings. Daily and Nightly border patrols Air surveillance What the NA and NAF is doing right now wipe out book haram in the Sambisa forests, then Cameroon followed by Niger and then Chad. In short rather than spend billions to build a wall spend the same billions on men ,equipment and more procurement.

Do I have to say one million times that it is not about only walls ? What you are saying is actually not a solution you are stating necessary things which are not sufficient. And it is quite dishonnest enough that you keep reducing my proposition to “walls”, but the fact that you think you are having me fooled on your wish to see the borders remain wide open is quite insulting.

The conversation is good so far, I have a better understanding of the logistics and the clear short comings of a wall. A wall is expensive (extremely) and will not work against a determined opponent who will simply tunnel under it (said tunnel can originate from miles away and may even be capable of accommodating armor).

We have large borders, ISR capability combined with QRF will stop mass incursions, This will not be cheap and will require constant patrolling, eventually we will need to understand how to combat small infiltrations (VBIED’s and People borne IED’s).

Will our soldiers in the house give an idea of which option is preferable? A wall system with mini forts, barbed wire in some areas,mines , berms etc or a fully ISR based border defense system with FOB’s and QRF’s. And what is the role of immigration, customs and other paramilitary units in this?

I will give you my view as a structural and civil engineer .It is not money well spent and only acts as a temporary impediment. No country should spend billions for a temporary impediment. Saudis are struggling right now wall or no wall.I won’t even bother discussing what will happen to the Kenyan wall which ironically is a small country with tiny borders compared to Nigeria

Soldiers should not be asked that question.
It is for engineers and Quantity Surveyors but nothing is going to stop anybody from crossing where he wants to in this world

There is a God made natural border between Africa and Europe called the Mediterranean Sea, people are risking their lives with their babies trying to cross it daily.
What we are talking about is maybe 0.000001 per cent of the population of Nigeria called Boko Haram. It is not a US-Mexico problem of the entire population of one country wanting to move into another. We are not trying to prevent peaceful civilians from crossing just BH, what then is the justification for wasting money that will buy 50 SU 30k aircraft.

Maybe we should also ask historians.
The Kanem Bornu empire you are trying to cut into two extended from NE Nigeria to Cameroon, Chad up to Western Sudan and maybe parts of Niger. That empire lasted longer than Nigeria has been in existence so there is even that angle to it. A homogeneous national constituent of a more artificial ‘Nigeria’ is being sliced geographically because of 0.000001 of the population because of a time minority who are currently showing a preference for residing in Sambisa forest within your borders than out of it. Is the solution not to blast them wherever they are and forfeiture distraction.

Maybe we should ask the refugees.
When Boko strikes the people of North East Nigeria have found it expedient to run into Cameroon without anything preventing their free movement. Displaced persons and refugees actually have an unwritten right to run to any peaceful country that will take them. When you build this wall you are restricting the expression of that right to run and hide with their cousins in another country. Even ”Africa’s greatest army” has been thankful on a few occassions that no wall existed during some tactical manoeuvrings of the recent past.

@Are James, Good arguments. Especially the one about tactical maneuverings and refugees. These are peoples lives, how do we prevent repeats of cross border raids? That is the real question I want to get at .

We are part of this construct and right now it is more real to us than Kanem Borno, we have to protect this construct, and make people believe in it more than ethnic or religious constructs. This cannot be done by fiat, but by good governance (internal change in behavior). In the mean time, while we build institutions of good governance, what do we do to protect the people from the constant raids.

Kanem-Borno is the most unfortunate choice of examples to cite. Reason?…

‘The Kanem-Borno Caliphate’s former boundaries correspond almost precisely to Boko Haram’s current area of operations, and Boko Haram may seek to recreate that caliphate through its own newly-declared caliphate, but with takfiri ideology replacing the Sufi traditions of the descendants of the Kanem-Borno amirs, who Boko Haram has killed or expelled from northeastern Nigeria.[59] Boko Haram’s seizure of Abadam on Borno’s border with Niger’s Diffa Province in October 2014, which is also part of the historic Kanem-Borno empire, could signal future Boko Haram operations in Niger, where Boko Haram has supply lines that are currently more often used for receiving food and fuel than weapons.[60] The “reunification” of the former Kanem-Borno Caliphate areas would seemingly erase the legacy of colonialism that Boko Haram founder Muhammed Yusuf criticized in his sermons for “amalgamating [Borno] to the infidels…leaving Niger in poverty…and creating ethnic problems and political divisions in Chad.”[61]’

I agree that the tribal construct of kanem bornu with familial connections stretches transnational. I agree that it is expensive, I agree that it is not the one solution that defeats all.

What I struggle is what now? Are we up to the task of policing that border effectively or are we looking at a situation where the border remains porous and is actually a liability? We will need the benevolence of our neighbors to ensure border security if we do not have our own plan. A benevolence they may be unable to bestow if Northern Cameroon metastasizes into an insurgent cancer.

This is the only reason I would even discuss about a wall (which would only be from Lake Chad Eastern end and terminate way before the Mandaras, and would use the natural terrain as part of defense) . If we can hold the X border towns and resupply them and protect those supply lines and cut the enemy supply lines, this would not be a problem.

Cutting insurgency supply lines is like a knife fight in an alley, it needs men in weird geographical places (Mandaras, towns around Lake Chad, desert outposts), said men need to be resupplied and are susceptible to being over run by an aggressive enemy that needs supply lines open to survive and fight. The far NE has been a no mans land for decades, in the long term it needs to get good governance, my question is what do we do in the short term to protect that region till we figure out how to get good governance instituted on ground.

@Roscoe, Jimmy and Are, you all have a point. From the security perspective, physical security is just one means of slowing down a determined criminal. @ Are, the fact that Mexican cartels and criminal gangs occasionally dig tunnels under the US/Mexican fence does not diminish the fences effectiveness in reducing the menace of illegal crossings and smuggling. In combination with other measures such as the intermittent use of air patrols, foot patrols with Canine for specific routes, remote sensors, surveillance towers, flood lighting on common crossing sites, etc, the rate of illegal crossings has been drastically reduced. I am privileged to have physically taken a tour of parts of the US/Mexican border fence at the San Diego area, and had briefings from officials of the US Border Patrol.

In this era of terrorism headlined by the BH insurgency, fencing “parts” of our northeastern border will actually be a good strategy “if” we can finance it. It will also be cost effective when you consider the reduction in manpower and high end equipment that would then be required to monitor a fenced border as against an open one like we have currently. Actually, I did an extensive research paper on this topic after my visit to the Mexican border. @ Are, know that we cannot physically use troops to man the whole stretch of our extensively porous border. At the same time, we cannot afford the quantum of air assets and manpower needed to patrol the border 24/7. Best solution therefore is fence off areas along the border that lack natural obstacles. Reinforce with sensors, that when triggered, \ airmobile QRF that are on 24hrs standby speedily intercepts. I guess you get the general gist.

So to those who are interested in finding a solution to the border security you now understand that some people who just want the borders to remain wide open will give flimsy excuses of why nothing should be done. They will also make propositions which they know will not work. Now I guess we understand why we still have no physical borders today whereas we should have built such 40 years ago and that would have stopped the boko haram of today from reaching its current state.

It is funny the way some people on this blog are good at writing words even big words sometimes but they are very bad at reasonning. That certainly shoots down the belief of many that a good english means good brain. First of all @arejames, I will have you reminded that boko haram had established bases across the border and that is where boko haram got weapons supply and then boko haram started using cross border tactics to kill numerous Nigerians and kidnapp other Nigerians. boko haram used cross border tactics to demoralize Nigerian soldiers who were not allowed to cross the border in hot pursuit. This meant that the Nigerian military had to use a lot of its logistics on ennemies who were escaping through the border, and that means a lot of waste happened. The beginning of this phase of boko haram was its hybernation across the borders and its border tactics. So if there had been a PHYSICAL border then boko haram would have been the problem of our neighbors alone, no Nigerian would have lost his or her life to boko haram. So try and stop using false logics and a wrong appreciation of the direction of time.

Did a guy calling for our border not to be closed just call Nigeria an artificial entity ?
So this is my assesment: thos who are campaigning against a PHYSICAL border don’t actually believe in Nigeria, they think ethnicity is more important than Nigeria.

There are many nations inside Nigeria and that is a known fact. It is a strength and a very rich heritage that we flaunt. These nations evolved over time and existed as empires for centuries. They were not created by individual fiat like Nigeria. What we are saying is that spending money building a physical border is wasteful and damaging of too many things that are dear to us while not being effective in countering what we want it to. It does not stop anybody good guy or bad and can even be made to work against our security. Instead we should use technology to provide the early warning and the quick reaction of enforcement that we require along ‘our border’. Then you would have a border but not in the physical sense of a physical separation. Borders are just imaginary lines, many a border pass through the inside of single apartments in Europe and Asia and no biggie. Btw it is not treasonous or unpatriotic to say Nigeria is artificial. Many countries are; for example the US and the defunct USSR.

stop laying around after exposing yourself as a biggot.. There is only one nationality in Nigeri, and that is Nigerian. Nigerians, either you listen to me, a patriotic Nigerian and close the border, either you listen to a biggot and leave them wide open.

Oga Are James. So which of the nations inside Nigeria are you from? What are the things that are dear to you that building a physical border would in essence be damaging to our rich heritage that was created by centuries old empires?

There are many nations in Nigeria. FACT FACT FACT. Same goes for USA, India. There is Jewish nation, it was in the bible, they lost their land many tines. That nation was given a geographical expression in 1948. The US treats an attack on its citizens abroad as an attack on its nation.
Let us not belabour the point.
The Palestine nation is still looking for a country et.c , et.c
The point we are making is just a minor one besides cost and effectiveness on the fencing of borders. The minor point is – dont errect artificial physicsl demarcations through old long established previous national geographical dwellings. Let us make it a virtual one implemented via technology with the focus being monitoring, control and quick reaction to threats . Total Cost = less than $500million.

https://twitter.com/DonKlericuzio
oga IGBI
The DON on his page is reporting that YEMENI TRIBES loyal to the HOUTHI Clan just sent ARTILLERY barrages into the Saudi Border city of NAJRAN.
There are no bigots here for once do not suppose you know/ love Nigeria more than oga AREJAMES or myself . Nigeria is destroying /degrading BH without a wall./ sensors/ or sophisticated sensors.And when this war is over they will follow some of these suggestions however there is no GOLD BULLET .
Question for you OGA IGBI Why didn’t the Saudis stop the artillery Barrage?, they have F-16s, sensors , allegedly very good satellite Intel from the US classified and unclassified that they refused to give to Nigeria so what is the problem? how come the Houthis one of the poorest , most wretched nations on the earth can sneak in and out of Saudi Arabia @ will and pin point targets to bomb by your reasoning this should not happen.
I will give you the answer which OGA AREJAMES AND MYSELF have repeatedly explained to you that you have consistently ignored cultural and ancestral links which go back centuries are very difficult to ignore or toss aside.And Every Country that has a diverse population has ARTIFICIAL borders
What Nigeria needs to do is not as you have sarcastically suggested make the price of illegal entry prohibitively High and expensive which is essentially what ALGERIA has done .

@Jimmy.. Great comments. On a side bar lets try and police ourselves, we do not have mods so we lets not get sidetracked by the language of one person or the other, I am not referring to your language btw.

I was just reading about the Houthi arty raid myself, I agree… There is no golden bullet. All I will ask is that we look at every solution, toss aside those that cannot work or are too expensive, and propose alternatives. I am not saying I have a fixed thought, just that I have been thinking about a wall for sometime (Hadrians, the great wall, various walls across antiquity) and started thinking, it worked to some effect to stop large incursions. Would it work for us.

Thank you OGA Roscoe
I share your sentiments exactly it has to be a combinations of things which I have repeatedly said from day one with that I will move on, to a more explosive topic it is beginning to appear that Saudi Arabia for the Second time this decade will have to put boots on the ground this time in YEMEN This could be very dicey, a couple of years ago they ruthlessly put down an uprising by their own houthis now these houthis on the other side of the border will be waiting.Do not expect a Kind- hearted war.

Believe me, creating and enhancing a physical border will save us money and lives in the long run. Physical borders are just a part of a strategy for border security. The concept is not new, even the romans used it, the germans used it as well. Now the countries using it include the usa, south africa, israel, and kenya and saudi arabia are about to use it as well. The people trying to convince you it is a bad idea are biggots who would rather have the north-east under terrorist hands than have a physical border demarcating Nigeria.

Some say fencing Nigeria would billions of dollars. My Oga’s, that position is preposterous.

Boko haram is estimated to have taken upwards of 13,000 Nigerian lives. How much is a single life worth? Any amount is worth spending to defend a single innocent soul.
Money exists to be spent for the benefit of humanity (babies, women, children, men), not the other way round. Spend the money to defend the smallest Nigerian, because it they who make the country exist as more than an arid, unpopulated wasteland. Who cares what a wall would cost?

How much has fighting boko haram cost us, if not billions of dollars? With a wall or trench, that cost would never have arisen.

Some say boko haram would simply tunnel under the wall. The common sense question is, what would be the size of such tunnels? At most, they would allow for small breaches with groups of under ten people; not bloody tanks, AA mounted trucks, APC’s, heavy artillery etc.

Others say because of the cost of a wall, we would better of patrolling with aircraft. Well, it costs thousands per hour to keep a single helicopter or plane in the air. Its not free, so that suggestion makes is neither here nor there.

There has been another suggestion of an electronic fence / curtain. This is brilliant, but has the weakness that the enemies tanks could make a mad dash (with all sorts of feints across several points) and could already be on our lawn before we have the time to react. We could also be too stretched to react.
Both systems of electronic fence / curtain and physical wall/trench would compliment each other most beautifully.
The electronic fence / curtain will give us views very deep into neighbouring countries without trespassing in any way; it will serve as early warning. A wall or trench is a physical barrier that will both concentrate attempts at ingress to certain points as well as use up the enemies time and energy, so that they can never surprise us with a highly mobile, high speed attack.

NO COST SHOULD BE SPARED in fencing Nigeria (physical and electronic).
This is especially as boko haram has teamed up with ISIS and their new operating territories are Cameroons far North and Niger republic. That is where the worlds most idiotic teenagers will soon be flocking to for “jihad,” just as they are now flocking to Syria – it is only a matter of time. ISIS arch of jihad will likely cover Mali, Mauritania, Northern Niger Republic and the Lake Chad region; their greatest draw will be Nigeria.

I am for fencing Nigeria. Securing the borders of Nigeria will require deployment and integration of different strategies and infrastructure. The fencing is a physical barrier and can be done and also translated into a job creation venture. The fencing can be turned into a poverty alleviation program in the northern part of the country, it definitely will run for many months and provide a lot of temporary jobs for the people. Able bodied men and women in border communities should be employed, provided with adequate security covers in forms of heavy military patrols, and deployed to dig tranches and build fences in places that are possible. Nigeria is currently at war therefore, mines can be used in the hostile terrains. Nigeria would simply keep quiet while laying the mines and only talk about it after they are done with the mine fields while they refuse to share the map with the country on the other side of the areas that have been mined. Just tell them the coordinates of the mined area. This is a primary measure, a physical barrier. As the barriers are being built proper border posts should also be constructed along the fence for joint stationing of immigration, soldiers, civil defence and police. Electronic measures should also be employed and NASRDA should be called in with satellite coverage. There has to be a long term plan for those borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon. With satellite imagery and proper documentation at border crossing, movement of people between the two borders should be mapped and the border control should adapted to emerging trends with time. Lastly, quick reactionary forces, complete with an air arm have to be strategically located at places in the Northern part of the country. These are the guys who would fly out to give support to border forces in places where attempts are being made to breach the physical barriers.

Oga Ola, I completely agree with you about the fencing of Nigeria being an economic opportunity for the country. So long as we strive to do the task with made in Nigeria only resources, varied industries can spring from the fencing such as; skills building, steel tool making etc.

Here’s a post I made on the subject in comments on another article:

“I repeat again that we can wall off Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic by printing Naira IF WE DO NOT USE ANY FOREIGN COMPONENT (which can only be imported with dollars). We can create a formidable structure using Nigerian cement and Nigerian rocks only. If any roads need building, let the locals build them too with the same local materials; some ancient cobblestone roads are still viable today in places like the UK, Rome etc.

As soon as we secure the NE, we must begin walling it off, gradually extending the wall to Kebbi and Cross River. It is a task that will involve local folk and the army (for project security). It will be a project that will create local jobs/skills, as well as creating an infrastructural and economic chain in the NE that will be handy when the wall is finished. Wellbeing always dulls the general population from extremism, isolating the few natural psychopaths that choose that path.”

Nothing can beat a physical barrier. If for example you wish to build a prison or a high security compound (like a barracks), would you do it with without a physical barrier, or even a series of physical barriers? Or put expensive furniture in an open field?
We can have a physical barrier and a mixture of other types of barrier to keep the border secure.

Here we go with another round of endless arguments and name calling.
Nigeria, as any one with common sense would know, is a nation with many ethnic groups, each group with its own identity ( before its creation), who amongst us haven’t heard experts / people talk about how Nigeria was created by the British without consideration to the many different ethnic groups with close to nothing in common with one another? Fact is fact, but at the same time, we are who we are, and our diversity should be our source of strength, if we apply ourselves, unfortunately it hasn’t been. There is ethnic bigotry going on, including religious ones, and as long as that’s happening, we shall remain vulnerable.
And to those that often like to exaggerate and misinterpret other people’s comments, lord, quit doing that.

i think this argument on the issue of fencing should not lead to an unending argument. @Igbi and @Jimi please take it easy on each other, individual should make its case and leave the rest for others to contribute. its just an opinion which if those in authority find it useful will work on them.

No, only Nigeria is involved in the sambisa operations. I am sure you must have noticed by now that westerners are exagerating foreign involvement even to the point of claiming that Baga was freed by chadians.

Why is everybody against this fencing issue? I totally support igbi stance on the wall suggestion. You see the i totally understand the sheer size of Nigerian border and i know how immersely wide and undemarcated it is. The fence (brick wall or not) is an idea, a concept meant to represent a system. Its just a component in a group of components in a system to protect our borders. Despite all the rhetorics many countries have fences on there borders but it doesnt make the headlines because its something as mundane as a fence. You see the fence wont be left unattended it will have a cleared area infront and at its back spanning dozens of feet wide.
Border OUTPOSTS crewed by atleast 10-12 immigration patrol officers will be constructed at every few miles along the fence, they will be equipped with comms devices, hilux trucks, light arms, sensory devices, binoculars etc. The aim of the fence is not to actually stop illegal migrants or terrorist as the case maybe but to impend their effort till the officers stationed at the nearest outpost can come in and apprehend them. Since there is a dozen feet clearing around the fence and long range cameras and infrared sensors fixed at each outpost, it will be very easy to detect anybody approaching the fence. There will be access points for LEGAL entry and exit of people. Ofcourse it will be guarded by immigration, customs officers. Coupled with frequent aerial patrols and hilux ground patrol from outpost to outpost.
The whole setup will be done in the most volatile region of the country since the whole Nigerian borders cant be realistically fenced round. I know it is expensive but it has to be done.